1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a wafer chamfering method and apparatus, and more particularly to a wafer chamfering method and apparatus for chamfering a wafer in which an orientation flat or a notch is formed at the periphery thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
A conventional wafer chamfering apparatus is constructed in such a way that a wafer table, on which a wafer to be chamfered is mounted, is supported in a manner to move along the Y-axis, and that a periphery grinding wheel is placed on the Y-axis.
To chamfer a circular part of the wafer by the above-mentioned chamfering apparatus, the circular part of the wafer is pressed against the rotating periphery grinding wheel. To chamfer an orientation flat part of the wafer, the orientation flat part of the wafer is pressed against the rotating periphery grinding wheel, and the wafer is slightly rotated and is slightly fed along the Y-axis, so that the orientation flat part can be chamfered.
A notch part of a wafer with the notch is chamfered in the same manner. The notch part of the wafer is pressed against a rotating notch grinding tool, and the wafer is slightly rotated and is slightly fed along the Y-axis, so that the notch part can be chamfered.
In the above-mentioned conventional chamfering method, it is extremely difficult to control the movement and rotation of the wafer, when the orientation flat part or the notch part is chamfered. Thus, the straightness of the orientation flat part or the notch part becomes deteriorated.